Rewritten
by Elizabeth Grenich
Summary: The Doctor has a new companion, and River's memories are changing. What's happened that is changing her history with the Doctor, and what is she going to do about it? An AU story, that ignores the last three episodes of Season 4, and rewrites time.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Doctor Who or any of it's characters. No I don't wish to, as I would rather wish for them to become real instead.

Prologue

This was the moment. River could stop it now and take back the life she still vaguely remembered. She could put the timeline back on its original course, and salvage her past and her future. Any moment now she would see a flash of blonde hair and River would step forward. She'd call out a friendly hello and in that split second of a pause, Rose would be flashed back to her parallel universe. Time would straighten itself back out and return to its original course. River would have her identity again, and she would have her Doctor back.

River stared at the small device in her hand. Red lights blinked at her through the black metal, as if accusing her of what she was contemplating doing. A large crack resonated around her and she looked up, knowing what came next. Rose rounded the corner, scanning the crowds frantically, looking for the Doctor. She looked frantic and guarded, as if prepared for disappointment. River stood to go to her, wondering slightly, how many jumps it had taken to get her here. Judging by the desperateness in her eyes, River figured it had been many.

River took another step forward, bringing her closer to Rose, and now in full view of the rest of the street. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the Doctor, standing about a block away. He had stopped in the middle of the street, disregarding traffic. The device beeped loudly, reminding River that she had seconds left, she had to act now. Before it rewrote time.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Author's Note: I would LOVE feedback, constructive criticism and all that, always looking to improve!

The Doctor was hiding underneath the console, his upper body fully hidden in an attempt to fix the display screen. He claimed that there was a section of the readouts that were missing, so he thought it'd be best to have a look at the TARDIS' wiring. Rose sat beside his protruding legs, amongst a bevy of foreign tools, looking bemused. She absentmindedly swung the screwdriver around, a faint smile gracing her face. It was rare that they had peaceful moments like this, and she was prepared to enjoy it. The Doctor rolled out to grab a wrench and smiled at her as he rolled back.  
"Where are we?" she asked lazily.  
"Cardiff." he replied. She scrunched her nose.  
"Did we need refueling?" she sounded slightly disgusted and bored. He chuckled, knowing from experience the look she was giving him.  
"No," He wiggled slightly,reaching into his pocket. He threw the psychic paper in her lap. "We got a message from a friend." She opened the leather wallet excitedly.  
"I need you. Cardiff, 2016 XO" She frowned. Well it certainly wasn't the Face of Boe, but who had begun sending him notes like this?  
"Do I know this friend? Who is she?" she tried not to sound too alarmed. He rolled out again and handed her several extra tools.  
"A mystery." he winked at her and disappeared again. That wasn't reassuring at all. She looked back at the note, slightly worried. Since she'd been back they hadn't talked about their time apart, she didn't even know how long it had been for him. A nagging fear ate at her, taunting her that she had been replaced.  
"Are we going to find her?" she asked, trying to hide her fear.  
"Oh, don't worry. She'll find us." there was a loud crack and a spark flew out of the console. The Doctor cursed, inciting a giggle from Rose.  
"Causing trouble again?" a sultry voice came from the entrance of the TARDIS. The Doctor rolled out and grinned at Rose.  
"Always." he called out in response. He hopped up on his feet and grabbed Rose's hand to pull her up. He pulled on his suit jacket as he rounded the console and met River as she walked up the gangway.  
"'ello Sweetie." she smirked at him, standing with her hands on her hips. He leaned on the console and shoved his hands in his pockets.  
"'ello! You wrote and here we are! Safe, sound, and on time I might add!" he looked pointedly back at Rose. She held back, watching the two, surprised by the commanding demeanor of this new woman. She rolled her eyes at him.  
"For once." She sent him a playful glare. River noticed her then, hiding slightly behind the console. She pressed her lips together, suddenly afraid. She didn't know why, but this blonde girl looked familiar, as if she knew her intimately well. She stood a little straighter, ensuring that her blasters were in full view.  
"Did Donna finally get fed up with you?" she asked, stiffly nodding to Rose. The Doctor looked between the two of them, confused. Several moments went by of them waiting expectantly before the light bulb finally went on in his head.  
"Oh no! Sorry, Donna just hasn't made it out yet," He reached back and grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her forward. "Rose Tyler meet River Song, River meet Rose." He beamed proudly. Rose tensed beside him, feeling River's eyes appraising her. She waved her fingers and smiled faintly.  
"Hello."  
"Hello..." River nodded, her smile taut. The two struggled to understand each other as they stood there. It was like an instinct, they knew how the other felt and it frightened them both. Rose stepped back slightly, strengthening her stance. River raised her eyebrow slightly, recognizing the tight military bearing. The Doctor could feel the air thickening around them and cleared his throat.  
"Rose used to travel with me, several years back until Canary Wharf." He looked down at Rose, his voice catching. River gasped, she'd been there for the aftermath. It'd been a field trip of sorts, community service for a heist she had pulled in the future.

"Oh god, you were there?" It had been weeks before all the debris and missing people had been accounted for, and the psychological damage had been extensive.

"We were separated." His grip on Rose's hand had tightened. Sniffing loudly he smiled again, pride creeping back into his eyes. "But she came back."

"Told you, you couldn't get rid of me." Rose grinned back up at him, relaxing slightly. The cool of his hand, eased her mind, reminding her that she was home. The Doctor kept his eyes on hers, his own mind soothed by the sight of her very real and present face. He gestured to River.  
"River...well her timeline moves opposite of mine. Her past is my future and vice versa. One slip up and either one of us could change our very history. S'brilliant, keeps me on my toes!" he explained.  
"No wonder you're so fascinated. She's a mystery and she's dangerous." Rose taunted. He scowled playfully. River's jaw tightened as she watched the two. They still hadn't let go of each other's hands, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the room. She had never seen him act this way over anyone, not even her. It struck her that she was losing him faster than she originally thought.  
"Not as dangerous as you, she has yet to be found hanging from a barrage balloon in the middle of a German air raid, with a Union flag across her chest." He retorted.  
"Oi you two!" Donna entered behind them, looking slightly amused and annoyed. Their heads snapped up together.  
"What?" they asked, incredulously. Donna just rolled her eyes and shook her head at River. She looked exasperated and slightly relieved to see her.  
"I heard you were here. What's happened this time? Can you at least promise me a decent jail cell?" she a desperate tone in her voice.  
"Ooh, spoilers Donna." River tsked and wagged a finger. "Although that is something to look forward to!" She took several steps forward, her boots creaking against the floor. "No, I have something more complex and far less dangerous in mind." The Doctor's eyebrow shot up.  
"That's a first for you. Isn't danger your middle name?" he asked grinning at her. River grinned back and shook out her hair.  
"There's a chippy down the street I've been dying to try, anyone hungry?" She sashayed back to the door. Turning on her heel she stared at the group.  
"Coming?"


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Donna and River had found a table near the window sitting across from each other. It gave Donna a chance to survey her friend, who'd been fighting to appear nonchalant since she had appeared. River hadn't taken her eyes off the Doctor and Rose, and Donna had a sneaking suspicion that River was jealous, but there was something else that was bothering her. It scared her, and as far as Donna knew, River was harder to scare than the Doctor.  
"Have you ever felt like your whole world was slipping away, and you didn't know what to do about it?" River asked, breaking the silence. Donna nodded, gravely remembering facing the Racnoss and her fiance's betrayal.  
"Yeah, I have." she said quietly. River looked at her in surprise, obviously not expecting an answer.  
"What did you do?" her voice trembled slightly as she fought for composure. Rose and the Doctor had been practically inseparable since they'd left the TARDIS, and she was becoming legitimately afraid. This strange blonde girl was replacing her, and she didn't know what to do. Donna shrugged slightly, stunned at the honesty and fear that she displayed.  
"I lived. I got on with life, told myself to travel, and just do something. Then I found him again," she nodded at the Doctor. "and I couldn't say no." she paused and watched River earnestly. The unfailing bravery that normally portrayed her was gone, and she looked lost. "It's serious isn't it, else you wouldn't be here. You need his help." River nodded, her full hair bouncing slightly..  
"My life is being rewritten, Donna. Someone is changing my past, who I am, and I don't know how or why. All of the sudden people I've never seen before are in pictures on my wall, and my journal entries don't match up. Everything I've built up and worked for is disappearing before me." she looked back at the Doctor. "And now, this."  
"That's why you asked him here, you want him to fix the changes." Donna stated. River nodded. "But changing time, that could..."  
"I know what it could do Donna, I travel as much as he does." River interrupted fiercely. "But I also know what it's changing me into, and what I am about to lose." her eyes were getting bleary. "I can't do it, I can't lose him."  
"The Doctor." Donna stated, alarmed. She'd known that River cared for him, yes. She also known he cared for her, but he cared for everyone. She'd never seen him love anyone before, aside from Rose. "You know how he is, you'll have to convince him." she said softly.  
"Convince me of what?" the Doctor asked, striding forward chips in hand. Rose was close behind, carrying a tray of tea mugs. He sat next to Donna and gestured for Rose to sit next to River. She glared at him over the tray, but sat anyway. She knew he wanted them to get along, so for his sake she'd try.  
"Fixing a timeline, Doctor." River stated, accepting a mug from Rose as she passed them around. "Someone has been rewriting my past, changing my memories and my future." His eyebrow skyrocketed.  
"Any idea who or what could have triggered it?" he asked. He slowly put his chip down, intrigued.  
"Not that I know of. It just happened, one day I realized that details in my journals stopped matching up with what I remembered. I could name people I had never met before, and describe places I had never seen." her eyes bore into his, hoping to convey her desperateness. "I'm becoming a different person. The things in my past are effecting who I was and who I am now. But I don't want any of that to change."  
"Rewriting time? The consequences of that though, what if you change something that is meant to happen?" Rose asked. Vivid memories of her father's death still haunted her. She knew better after traveling with the Doctor, that time was not something to easily toy with. River looked at her annoyed.  
"I know what was meant to happen, because I lived it. Now everything I know is being denied, and I won't just sit back and let it fall to waste." she said heatedly. The Doctor leaned back and frowned.  
"She's right. Even if it's not a fixed point, small changes can make a huge difference on a timeline." He gestured to River. "As you are experiencing. Theoretically the TARDIS can look at your timeline to see if there have been any abnormal fluxes, maybe we can find a way to fix it with wrenching too much out of place." he said thoughtfully.  
"Oh you are brilliant." she sighed with relief and took a large sip of tea.  
"Aren't I?" he grinned, just as a large body crashed through the window behind them.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Author's Note: Keep a sharp eye! I have updated the other two chapters and will continuously do so throughout the story! I'd love to hear your ideas and thoughts on the changes! =]

Glass had flown all over the restaurant and in the middle of the floor lay a tall violet woman. Chaos erupted through the restaurant; several people called for help, while most of the unhurt crowd made their way to the alien on the ground. Donna groaned and shoved her food away, knowing instantly that their break was over.  
"Someday, I'd just like a full meal." she complained following the Doctor, who had sprinted off to investigate. Rose was up almost as fast, rushing to the woman's side and checking to see if she was alright. The Doctor stood by watching as she checked her vitals signs, clearly she looked up at him he gave her a questioning look.  
"Torchwood." she informed in carelessly. He nodded, understanding. "She's breathing, and her heart rate is fairly normal, considering. Where's she from?" she asked and his brow furrowed. Pulling his glasses out of his coat pocket, he put them on and looked closely at the woman.  
"Violet skin, tall, I'd say the southeast planets close to Koruicum. But that's far, impossibly far." he leaned down to sniff her clothing. "Natural materials, I'd say Korican. " he took off his glasses. "They're are quiet and fairly simple. The technology to properly travel to off their own planet would be beyond their means."  
"So, what is she doing here?" Donna asked, staring at her in wonder. She was really beautiful, for a purple alien. River crunched over, from where she'd been inspecting the window  
"She was thrown, by the rate she was going I'd say it was a cyborg." She stated assuredly.  
"Cyborg? Couldn't it have been another alien?" Rose challenged, brushing glass out of the woman's green hair. River straightened her belt and stared back at the window, maintaining her strict posture.  
"An alien of that size would attract attention, there would have been warnings out hours ago." she retorted, looking back at Rose smugly. Rose smiled back tightly.  
"And a cyborg, in the 21st century smack in the middle of Cardiff, wouldn't?" The Doctor cleared his throat, his eyes wide. The two women broke their gaze to look back up at him.  
"Doesn't matter what it is, we have a problem on our hands." he said. He held out his hand for Rose and she grabbed it. "And you don't like coming to Cardiff! We'd miss out on all the excitement." he joked. Donna frowned, watching the police and ambulance park outside.  
"We've got bigger problems than that." She nodded out the door. "What are we gonna do about them?" The Doctor tugged Rose's arm and led the way out the back door.  
"Come on!" he call for the other two.  
"We can't just leave her there!" Rose protested, tugging back on his arm. "What will they do to her? What if they send her to Torchwood?" he around, nearly colliding with the three of them. He looked at Rose.  
"Trust me. She's in good hands." he said. "Now, we've got a bigger alien to find!" River swung her head to look at Donna, exasperated.  
"Are they always like this?" she asked. Donna smirked, obviously entertained.  
"Since she got back, yes. It is almost sickening sometimes, but he's so...complete. I've never seen him so alive before." Donna shoved her hands in her pockets as they got moving again. River was walking slowly behind her, fear creeping into her face again.  
"How long has she been back?"  
"A week or so, we found her in London when I stopped for some new shoes." Donna looked back at her. "You alright?" River nodded. She rested a hand on her holster, the cool metal of her gun relaxing her slightly.  
"Yeah...I'm fine."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The Doctor had lead them out to the street and pulled out his screwdriver. River watched from several paces away, a memory nagging at her mind. The group of them were picnicking on New Earth and there were faces there she didn't recognize aside from the Doctor, Donna and Rose. River could distinctly remember the picnic, what she had worn and what they had eaten. But Rose hadn't been there before, had she? Yet there she was, etched into her memory as vividly as she stood before her.  
"What are you doing?" Donna's interrogative voice broke through her thoughts. River refocused on the Doctor. He had moved several feet down the street, buzzing his sonic screwdriver at the air.  
"Scanning for alien tech." Rose said proudly. River walked up to his other side and read the readings over his shoulder. He frowned.  
"The numbers, they're off the charts. There's enough alien activity going on around here to attract about six or seven planets." he explained. River looked around.  
"Then where are they all? And why are they here?" she asked. The Doctor squinted into the sky and ran further down the sidewalk.  
"That is a brilliant question, and how do we answer that?" he spun around and looked to the girls for an answer.  
"We catch ourselves an alien!" River grinned at him.  
"Oh yes!" he exclaimed. "The TARDIS can lock onto one of the energy signals and take us straight there. ALLONS-Y!"

The TARDIS, it seemed, had other ideas. The screen had blacked out completely, and upon further inspection the Doctor discovered some of the temporal flux adjusters had burnt out as well.  
"S'what you get for meddling." River laughed, laying a hand on the console. The Doctor shed his jacket and began rolling up his sleeves.  
"So we're set back a couple of hours, we have a time machine!" he said cheerily. The girls stood awkwardly, waiting for him to give orders. He sighed and loosened his tie. "Well, someone make themselves useful and make some tea." he suggested. Rose jumped up.  
"Yes sir! No milk, six sugars. The usual Donna?" she asked. Donna nodded, and the Doctor looked pointedly at River. "Why don't you go with her? help her with the tray." he said. River glared smiled indulgently and stalked out behind Rose. He leaned against the console, his shoulders drooping slightly as they disappeared out of sight. Donna came and stood next to him.  
"She's jealous isn't she?" he stated flatly. Donna looked up, surprised he'd was man, after all, completely thick sometimes.  
"River? yeah." she paused, unsure if she should tell him more. "With her memories changing she's afraid of losing who she is now and, her relationship with you." she said. He looked at her sharply then groaned and rubbed his face with his hands.  
"Her...she..." he looked exasperated. "How do I tell her? That she's not..." he paused searching for words. Donna smiled softly. "She's a wonderful person and friend, but..."  
"I know." Donna cut in. For the first time in the several years she had known him he was at a loss for words. It spoke of the depth of his feelings for her. "You have to though, it's why they haven't gotten along all day. How can they when they don't know where they stand."  
"I know." he sighed. "Rose knows though, doesn't she? I know I haven't said it, she hasn't been back very long." He looked at Donna, his eyes softening "I almost did, that day I thought I'd never see her again." he let out a ragged breath. Donna laid a hand on his arm.  
"I think she has a clue, but it couldn't hurt to say it." He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it.  
"But how? I want to do this right. I want her to know this is more than just us going for chips." He turned to her desperately. "For the first time, I'm scared out of my mind and I'm afraid that if do the wrong thing it will blow up in my face."  
"What have you done to the TARDIS this time?" Rose accused as she entered tray in hand. He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck.  
"Nothing!"  
"Yet..." Donna finished laughing. Rose handed him his mug, recognizing the guilty and embarassed look on his face.  
"You ok?" she asked. He accepted the mug, taking a moment to stare into her eyes. Gold was swirled amongst the chocolate brown that he didn't remember from before. He made a mental note to ask her about that.  
"Yeah," he slurped his tea and grinned. "Just fine."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five******  
**

Author's Note: I've really kind of come to a decision already, but who wants to see Jack come in soon? Good ol' Captain Jack! I also realize this chapter is a bit rubbish - updates soon!

Repairs went by relatively quickly, and with little added damage to the console. The Doctor pulled the screen around as he typed away, searching for a signal. Rose watched by his side, while River watched from one of the columns. She didn't quite remember him looking at her like that, and she wasn't sure if it was because her memories were fading or if he just hadn't at all. It made her wonder if they really had something, or if she had just imagined it. If he was so happy with this Rose, why had he even bothered with her? River pressed her lips together. Whatever happened, she would go down fighting. She fought to keep the memories she still had, of their picnics and escapades. She smirked slightly, a particular memory coming to mind. Donna smiled briefly at her and walked over.

"I would think you'd be more excited about the adventure!" she said. River pushed curls out of her face.

"I love a good adventure, more than most people, but..." She was interrupted by a large whoop from the Doctor.'

"Here we go! Hang on!" The TARDIS jolted violently, nearly throwing them across the room. They came out on an empty alley that stretched for several blocks. Dark shadows stretched out across the alley, shrouding the the block in an eerie grey. The Doctor turned and looked at the three of them. He pointed two fingers at Donna and Rose.

"Don't wander off, but keep a sharp eye. Therelean's are tricky and can easily adapt to camouflage themselves into their surroundings." he instructed. Donna waved an arm at River.

"What about her?" The Doctor just raised an eyebrow.

"She has a gun, you do not. She also has less of a penchant for trouble." He glared at Rose. "If anyone was to wander off and find a savage alien it would be you, so stay close." He squeezed her hand and they began walking down the alley. Rose looked down at their hands.

"Would you feel better if I had a gun?" she asked, her voice low. He looked down at her, his face becoming stern.

"No," he tried to catch her eyes. "The opposite actually, I wouldn't be able to trust you like I do." Her eyes reached his and they both smiled.

"Is this alien savage?" Donna asked. He didn't respond immediately, quickly averting his eyes from Rose and watching the shadows they passed.

"I don't know yet." he said, scanning the air again. Donna let out a loud sigh of exasperation.

"You are the only person I know that will track something down, without knowing if it will kill us or not. It's a miracle you've lived this long." River burst into laughter.

"She has a point, what regeneration is this for you? Nine or ten?" The Doctor didn't respond and Donna frowned.

"Regeneration?" she looked to Rose for an explanation.

"Shh!" The Doctor held a finger to his lips and pointed several feet away. They could just barely make out a lean shape sitting against one of the buildings.

"I'm not forgetting about this spaceman." Donna whispered as they walked forward. They got close and the Doctor kneeled down, bringing himself face to face with the alien. Its body had camouflaged itself to match the brick of the building it sat against, making it nearly impossible to see, aside from its large blue eyes.

"Hello." the Doctor said softly. The Therelean raised its head slowly, its eyes searching the Doctor's face. It frowned at him, its face resembling a mime.

"Shh, it's ok, we're not here to hurt you." Rose laid a hand on its shoulder and it looked up at her, appearing frightened. "You're scared, what are you scared of?"

"It is large, like nothing I have seen on my planet." it spoke slowly, a quiver in its voice. "It brought us here, no one knows how, but now we are separated." His eyes squinted slightly at the Doctor, his mouth twitching. The Doctor watched him warily, aware that he was planning mischief.

"What's your name?" Donna asked.

"Evyndr." he responded. "I wait for my family." He grinned then, his mouth wide and toothless. The Doctor grimaced, motioning for them to get back.

"I don't like that grin." He got back up and stepped back, right into another Therelean. He whirled around and found that they had been cornered against the wall by several more of them.

"So, by tricky did you mean card tricks?" Donna asked looking around at them hesitantly.

"I wish." The Doctor began searching through his pockets, pulling out knick knacks. He handed Donna a water gun, a yoyo and a ball of yarn.

"S'bit of a bad time to organize right now!" she exclaimed. He grinned and finally pulled out a smoke bomb. The aliens chuckled at him, clearly unimpressed.

"You want to play games with us?" Evyndr asked behind him. The Doctor shook his head.

"Oh I can play games!" He pulled the pin and held it up dramatically. His face fell as the smoke failed to appear. River sighed and pulled out her blaster.

"Sometimes I wonder how you get anything done. Guess we have to do it my way." she stepped in front of him and raised her arm. Rose frowned, hoping that River didn't mean to pull the trigger.

"River, wait!" she stepped forward just as they were clouded with smoke.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Author's Note: Sorry for the mix up! I accidently posted a chapter from a different story, but tada here it is!

"Nothing like a good smoke bomb to clear out those pesky Therleans." a cheery voice called through the smoke. "It's their natural instinct to run for cover when smoke is around. Their predators use it to hunt down their colonies." A tall silhouette could be seen walking toward them, the blue of his jacket becoming clearer as the smoke faded away.  
"Jack!" Rose squealed, recognizing him. She ran forward and jumped into his arms.

"Rose!" He swung her around, laughing. River lowered her blaster, checking to make sure the aliens had left. She kept her finger on the trigger, just in case. Their new arrival was a bit pretty, and looked far from helpful. The Doctor was grinning at the two, but when Jack failed to let go he cleared his throat. Jack set Rose down and smirked over her shoulder at him.

"Oh I know that look," Jack smiled down at Rose. "Hasn't changed much since his regeneration." He let go of Rose and stretched out his hand to the Doctor. "Good to see ya boss." He caught River staring incredulously at him and his eyebrows shot up. "Hello..." He walked past the Doctor and caught River's hand, giving her his signature grin. "Captain Jack Harkness." he winked. River was slightly taken aback, but enchanted with his frank and beguiling manner.

"Professor River Song." River winked back, giving him her own smirk. Rose looked at the Doctor, surprise and amusement on her face. He grinned back at her, his laughter just barely contained.

"Enchante Mlle." Jack turned to Donna. "and who is this flaming young lady?"

"Donna Noble." Donna blushed as he kissed her hand.

"I'm sorry you ladies have to put up with him." Jack gestured to the Doctor. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry I put up with you." He retorted. Rose nudged him, giggling. Oh, she'd missed this.

"And where exactly did you pick him up?" River asked, less urgently than she intended. She attempted to look stern as she put her blaster away, but her natural instinct was to flirt right back.

"Where did we pick him up Rose? World War II wasn't it?" The Doctor asked. She nodded.

"I was hanging from a barrage balloon, in the middle of the German Blitz with a Union Flag across my chest, and he came to my rescue." she smiled at the memory. "How did you get off of Satellite 5?" she asked, her face becoming serious. The Doctor sent Jack a warning look, and Jack gave a subtle nod in response.

"That is a story for dinner and a nice bottle of champagne. You have some story to tell as well, trapped on a parallel universe for all this time! Bet he's glad to have you back." Jack waggled his eyebrows at the Doctor. The two looked at each other inadvertently, smiles creeping onto their faces. Rose patted Jack's arm.

"Big question is, how'd you know we were here?" Jack shrugged.

"Simple, our scanners are so overloaded with lifeforms we didn't know what to do. Ianto came up with the idea to try and separate them out, so we could focus on the more dangerous species. Course, when I saw a bivascular system, I knew it had to be you." he said. "Then I saw your stalkers and figured you might want some help."

"We could have handled it just fine." River stated, irritated that somehow she was always left out.

"Blasting them to smithereens is not the answer." Rose retorted, her voice low. "We weren't in any immediate danger, there was no call for a weapon."

"And where did you learn that? The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?" River snapped. Rose's eyes flashed, gold swirling through her eyes, nearly clouding them over.

"Field experience."

"Where was that, last week's recess?" Jack gawked at the two of them, surprised at the bitterness between the two. The Doctor's eyes had widened to saucers, and he looked hesitant to do anything.

"At least I had recess, tell me, did they have school in the 18th century?" Rose replied. Donna whistled loudly.

"Oi you two - stop it." They both glared at her. Donna ignored them and took a deep breath. "We are a team and as such, we work together. Until we can sit down and figure this out," she glared at the Doctor. "You will be civil to each other or I'll have into to both of ya." Jack grinned.

"I like you." he said. "Bet you keep him on his toes." he nodded to the Doctor. The Doctor scowled at him.

"You, headquarters, now." Jack saluted and let the Doctor lead the way. Jack fell into step beside Donna and gestured to the three ahead.

"How long has this been going on?" He whispered. Donna sighed.

"Just since this morning. River hadn't met Rose till this morning, she hasn't been back for very long."

"How long has she been back?" he asked.

"Just barely a week." Donna watched as the Doctor unconsciously reached for Rose's hand. Jack followed her gaze and grinned.

"Well I'm rooting for Rose." he chuckled. "not that there'll be much contest." Donna looked up at him surprised.

"You sound sure of yourself." He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I used to travel with them years ago, before he had this face. They were inseparable, and completely oblivious." he smirked.

"They still are." Donna laughed and pointed at Rose as she dragged the Doctor away from a street vendor.

"Back entrance Doc!" Jack veered off the street towards a small tourist center, waving for the group to follow him.

"Where are we going?" River asked testily, eyeing the small building unfavorably.

"Welcome to the Torchwood Hub!" Jack led them down the long hall and through a large door. Rose had tensed and looked up at the Doctor. He squeezed her hand.

"Jack rebuilt this Torchwood after Canary Wharf. It's different now." he said softly. She nodded, allowing a tired sigh to escape her. He tightened his grip on her hand.

"The rest of the team is out trying keep things under control." He gestured to a corner of the room. "There should be some tea and coffee in the pot though, Ianto makes sure to keep it fresh for when we come back."

Rose circled the large room in awe. It was several stories high, and littered with alien machinery. Computers were stationed all over the room along with different work stations.

"You just took over Torchwood?"

"This branch, yeah." he had stepped up to a platform. "I had to station myself where I could keep an eye out for the Doctor. Do you approve?" He looked down at her. She grinned.

"On top of the rift, that's brilliant." She joined him and touched a screen, bringing it to life. "Dang, you weren't kidding." She blew up a scan of nearby streets, multicolored dots overwhelming the screen. Donna stepped up to look and Rose pointed at the dots. "Each one represents another life form, different colors for various species and galaxies of origin." she paused. "At least the ones we know of."

"And do we have a solution for this?" River asked. She picked up several guns and began inspecting them.

"Violence won't be one of them." Rose commented darkly. River ignored her, setting her blaster on a target on the wall.

"I can see why the Doctor's so concerned for your safety." She shot the target, the shot ringing through the room. "It must be so hard to have a companion who can't defend herself."

"Those weapons are not to be used, in or outside of the hub. Put it down." Jack growled. River glared at him, flipping the gun through her fingers before laying it to rest on a desk.

"Jack, where's that tea you were talking about?" The Doctor asked giving him a look.

"Kitchen is through that door." Jack pointed and River spun on her heel, looking at Rose.

"Why doesn't the little housewife go get the pot?" she raised an eyebrow. "You really should leave this to the professionals anyway." Rose's jaw dropped, and the Doctor growled.

"River," he took off his jacket. Rose stepped back down, clenching her teeth together.

"No, we'll take care of this. Get busy." she laid a hand on his arm, and gestured River.

"We need to work this out on our own."  
"Be careful." he whispered. She nodded, squaring her shoulders and following River through the door.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Author's Note: So, I accidentally added the wrong Chapter 6 on the 4th (it was all the partying...ha ha...) but it has been updated to the right chapter! Also I was able to update the rest of the chapters today, and made some changes! Feel free to read and review!

Chapter Seven

Rose leaned on the doorframe, watching River make a mug of tea. She stood tall, her head thrown back and her shoulders squared. Her posture was tense, but she made an effort to appear relaxed. River could feel the other woman's eyes on her, and she let a breath escape her. She was tired of this charade, and turned to face her.  
"Well?" she asked, attempting to keep her voice light.  
"You're so different from his other companions." Rose stated. "I never expected..."  
"What? A gun toting vigilante?" River smirked. Her jaw tensed as she realized she was playing again, attempting to hide her vulnerability. She sat languidly at the table and crossed her legs. "You're quite the surprise too, I didn't know he did lower class blondes." The words came out of her mouth before she even knew they were there.  
"He doesn't 'do' anyone," Rose stepped away from the door frame, her jaw set. "and just because I didn't grow up in a fancy mansion with loads of money, doesn't make me any less important." River watched her come forward, feeling slightly guilty. This wasn't helping the situation.  
"Look, this" she gestured between them. "is unimportant to me, because I have a life to get back. That's the only reason why I'm here." She shrugged. "I don't really care about Cardiff or its overpopulation of aliens." Rose sat down across from her, surprise and annoyance crossing her face. She opened her mouth to respond, but she didn't know how to respond. River watched her form her thoughts, her eyes trained on River's face. River stared back at her, surprised to see understanding in her eyes. Rose knew how RIver felt, she'd lived it for so long she thought it would destroy her.  
"Sometimes there are bigger, more important things than just what we want." she finally said. River pressed her lips together and swirled her spoon in her tea.  
"You sound just like him." she commented. "If anyone has perfected the art of selfless defeat, he has. I don't think it has to be that way."  
"It's not defeat," Rose said, her voice low. "It's fear. He's afraid of loss, of ruining things that would be much better off without him." River looked back up at her. She sounded so calm and sure of herself.

"And what makes you the expert?" she asked.

"I'm not, never said I was." She swallowed, in hopes of relaxing the large knot that was growing in her throat. "I know how you're feeling though River. I've stood on one side of a white wall, knowing everything I wanted was a universe away." River leaned forward.

"Then you know why I fight, because nothing comes from standing by and waiting. If you had the chance at happiness again you'd take it, wouldn't you?" River let out a slow breath. Rose nodded faintly.  
"As long as the cost was not higher than the gain." she said. RIver leaned back.  
"And if there was no other way?" she egged her on. Rose's eyes had teared.

"I waited, for so long." Rose's voice cracked. "So long to come back here without endangering those on my project. I had learned in my years working in that universe that my happiness is little compared to other peoples lives." Her face became fierce and her eyes glowed. "I've seen so much of the universe, more than you could ever imagine. And in all that, all of life's tragedies and sorrows, I learned that we don't get a lot of choices. But life is one of them, life is what defines us against the rest of creation, and even a life of pain is better than no life at all." She let out a sigh and River stared open mouthed. The gold in Rose's eyes swirled into the form of a wolf and River memories flooded into her mind. Rose and the Doctor, always those two, and then her on the sidelines. They were all happy, she was happier than she'd been in years, but why? Scenes played incoherently through her mind, like an incomplete montage. River held her face in her hands, overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions that bubbled through her.

Rose watched for several moments, then laid a hand over River's. A faint stream of gold danced along Rivers wrist and she looked up at Rose in shock. The memories had disappeared in a flash of gold, leaving River with her old ones.

"How did you do that?" she demanded. Rose shrugged and laughed slightly.  
"I honestly have no idea. Well, I have a clue but it's a bit of a long story." she said.  
"Does he know you can do that?" River asked looking alarmed. Rose shook her head.  
"No, we haven't really had time to talk yet." she shrugged. "I can't exactly walk up to him and say it." River stood abruptly, still staring shocked. "Please don't tell him, not yet." she asked. River nodded slightly.  
"I'm not making any promises." she said and began to walk out the door. Pausing she turned around. "Thank you." Rose nodded.  
"I can try to keep the new memories at bay, if you like. Until we can find the source." she said quietly. River cocked her head.  
"You'd do that?" Rose nodded. River smiled. "I can't tell you what that means to me." Rose smiled back. "I suppose I have to be civil to you now." She said dryly. Rose smiled and nodded. "You coming?" she asked. Rose shook her head.  
"Not yet, I'll be right there." River nodded and vanished from view.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Author's Note: More revisions happening! Thanks for reading!

********The Doctor had donned his glasses and stepped up to the computer. He was going to make an attempt to keep his mind off of River and Rose by burying himself in work. He fixed his eyes on the multicolored dots before him, but his brain refused to focus.  
"You know, I'm kinda jealous. No one ever fights like that over me." Jack stated cheerily. Donna glared at him and he instantly wiped the smirk of his face. "Sorry. So, who is this River anyway?" he leaned against the computer, watching the Doctor. His eyes were fixed on the computer, occasionally roaming across the screen to read signals. Jack watched him carefully, trying to see through his cool mask. The Doctor narrowed his eyes, and leaned closer to the screen.  
"A friend." he stated shortly. He wasn't in the mood for Jack's shenanigans, and purposefully ignored him. If he could reprogram the system, he could widen the proximity of the scanners, and possibly find what was drawing all these aliens in.  
"She's a freelancer of sorts." Donna explained. "She's an archeology professor, but she time travels, usually getting into more trouble than he does." Jack looked impressed.  
"Time travel without a TARDIS, that takes some skill." he stepped forward, giving up on the Doctor. "He must have closed off, if she didn't know about Rose till now. Makes sense that she'd be jealous." Donna nodded profusely.

"He's the only man I know that can talk for days and never say anything at all." she said solemnly. Jack bent his head, lowering his voice.

"Now that she's back, has he done anything about it or do they still do the oblivious flirting and hand holding?" he asked. Donna rolled her eyes.  
"What do you think?" she asked. Jack groaned. He grinned mischievously at her and began rubbing his hands together.  
"We gotta fix this..." The Doctor turned around and glared at him, annoyed.  
"Oi! I can hear you." he stated. "I can make these decisions for myself thank you." Jack held up his hands innocently.  
"I'm only trying to help!" Doctor rubbed his eyes, grimacing.  
"I try not to think about your kind of 'help'" he replied.  
"I only give the best!" Jack winked at Donna. "Seriously though Doc, you've gotta say something."  
"I know!" the Doctor ran a hand through his hair. "I know, I just...what do I say? How? When?" he slumped into a chair. "I want it to be special, but what if I scare her off? What if she doesn't feel like that anymore?"  
"All you need are some candles, a good glass of champagne, some soft music. She likes Glenn Miller." Jack winked at him. The Doctor glared.  
"You would know." he said sarcastically. Donna sent Jack an exasperated look.  
"Just be honest with her, you've got about as many words as Shakespeare. You'll think of something." she said.  
"I've tried, but I just can't find the words to suit." he ran a hand through his hair. Donna laid a hand on his arm.  
"You will, don't worry." She nodded at the screen, her face becoming solemn. "First we have bigger problems." He rubbed his face in his hands.  
"Don't remind me."


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

River stepped back into the room, looking around for the others. The Doctor had seated himself at a computer and was working intently with Donna leaning against a desk behind him, looking utterly bored. River walked up and stood beside her, scanning the room for Jack.  
"Where's the pretty boy?" she paused, "well, the other one." Donna nodded across the room to where Jack was on the phone, pacing rapidly near the entrance. "Who is he talking to?" River asked.  
"He keeps getting calls from across town, the aliens are beginning to disturb the citizens and he doesn't have enough team members to control the crowds." Donna explained. She leaned back, watching River carefully. "How'd it go?" River shrugged.  
"I think we've worked it out for now." she replied. The Doctor heard her and looked up, whirling around in his chair. His eyebrow arched sharply, a sign River knew, of his worry. His eyes flicked about the room, silently taking in Rose's absence.  
"She's still in the kitchen. Don't worry, there wasn't a catfight." River commented dryly. She hoped, watching his reaction, that this wasn't just a silly jaunt of hers. She wondered if she hadn't already lost him before this had all began. She leaned over to look at the screen the Doctor had been working on.  
"How did they all get here?"  
"Maybe there's something pulling them here, like an energy or something." Donna suggested.

"Oh that is brilliant," The Doctor beamed at her. " but that means we're dealing with something much bigger than an infestation." he reminded them. "Much bigger." his eyes focused on Rose as she quietly stepped in.

"Wouldn't something of that scale would be picked up by our scanners? " Jack asked, joining them again.

"Depends on the wavelength and what your scanners are tuned to." the Doctor spun back around the the screen and began typing again. "Zeta radiation won't be discovered for several more centuries, not to mention the technology for universal telepathic wavelengths. " Jack looked offended.

"I like to think our technology is ahead of its time." he frowned. The Doctor nodded, still focused.

"It is, not just far enough." he looked back up. "I can hook up the TARDIS to search the telepathic range and upgrade your system to search for more radiation and energy signals." Jack nodded just as his phone rang again. He rolled his eyes and stepped away to answer it, he came back after several minutes his jaw set.

"Alright, heres the deal." He turned to River. "I'm giving you the Westside, there are reports of more Thereleans wreaking havoc and I need someone to control the area. Take Rose with you for back up," he picked up a radio and tossed it to her. "I'm heading across town to take care of some extra weevils," he handed a radio to Donna. "You take care of that, listen in case we need you." He picked up his jacket and swung it on. "You're the only one that can work the TARDIS, you stay here and find the source of all this. Let us know if you find anything." he said to the Doctor. The Doctor nodded, frowning slightly. He didn't like them going out without him, or of letting Rose out of his sight for so long. He knew though, that she'd be more helpful on the field and unwillingly conceded to Jack's plan. Jack gave him a salute and he saluted back, feeling ill at ease.

"Be careful." he warned. The girls nodded at him and Jack winked as they disappeared through the door. He turned to Donna and raised his eyebrows.

"Here we go."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Author's Note: Opinions on River's character would be fantastic, I'm not too familiar with writing her, and I tend to have a bias towards...certain people **grins** I love intelligent feedback!

The Doctor hooked up the TARDIS to the Torchwood computers. Cords streamed out of her front door and wound around the room. He'd decided, as he ran around the screens updating programs and downloading new ones, that he'd run a scan for recent time fluxes while he was at it. He wanted to find the source of River's troubles by the time she got back, so he'd have one less thing to worry about. He flipped several switches on the computer and ran back inside the TARDIS.

Flipping the screen around to face him, he tapped it, zooming on his search. The fluxes weren't hard to find, especially since they were sitting so close to the rift. Two specifically caught his eye, the first from several years back and the other from only a week ago. He punched the keyboard, zeroing in on the second flux.

"What's it mean?" Donna stepped behind him, reading over his shoulder. The circles and pentagon shapes that made up the screen were indecipherable to her. The Doctor had said once that it was his own language, but hadn't offered any more of an explanation. She didn't ask for it, knowing it was hard for him to talk about his planet.  
"Well, each time flux represents a crossroads if you will. A choice made that will significantly change the rest of time. The TARDIS can read the flux, pinpoint the source of it and the new timelines that result." he explained.

The radio crackled from its position on the console. The Doctor looked at it sharply, narrowing his eyes. They hadn't heard a word from Jack or the girls for over two hours, and he was getting jumpy. Turning back to the screen he began reading. The information seemed familiar, the shopping centre, the date and time. His eyes widened as he realized what it was describing.

"Where were we when we found Rose?" he asked, his voice thick. Fear gripped him as he anticipated her answer.  
"Erm, that shopping centre. The one just a couple blocks from Gramps, remember?" She stepped around him to properly look at him. "What is it? What's happened?"  
"The source..." he paused and took a breath. "The source of the flux is Rose." Donna frowned.  
"I don't understand." he looked shaken and scared, more scared than she'd seen him in years. He pointed to the screen.  
"In the timeline River remembers, Rose and I never met. When we did, it created a brand new timeline, completely rewriting River's past." He swallowed and shut the screen off. "In order for River to fix her timeline, she'd have to stop Rose from finding me." The Doctor let out a ragged breath and turned around to avoid her eyes. Donna's jaw dropped, realisation dawning on her. He rubbed his face in his hands.

"I don't know what to do Donna." he looked back at her. She didn't know how to respond. "How do I tell them?" his voice cracked, hopelessness tearing through him. "How can I let her go again and watch her unravel before my eyes?" leaning heavily on the console, he covered his eyes with his palms. The radio crackled again, this time River's voice becoming distinct among the fuzz.

"Jack, can you hear me? Anyone..." her voice faded in and out of the static. "It's Rose..." the Doctor's face shot up, and he whirled around. "We need backup..." He rushed to the radio but it was engulfed in static.  
"10-4, on my way." Jack's voice came through. Donna placed a hand on the Doctor's arm. She knew that look on his face, she had seen it the day they'd met. He was achingly terrified and defeated.  
"It's ok. Jack will take care of them." she said, with more calm than she felt. He looked up at her wildly.  
"What am I going to do?" he whispered. Donna understood suddenly, staring into his eyes, why he ran and never stopped. She took the radio and led him away from the screen.  
"Do what you do best, don't think about it. Not yet." she led him outside the TARDIS and back inside the hub. "Finish up those tests, we've still got a source to find." she sat him gently down. He nodded stiffly, obediently setting his eyes on the screen. She knew his mind was far from his actual project, but at least it would keep him occupied for now.  
The radio continued to crackle as she stepped into the kitchen. From what she could understand from snatches of the conversation, Rose was hurt. She left the radio on the table and turned the volume down so he couldn't hear. Sitting down, she buried her hands in her pockets and leaned back closing her eyes.  
"Just another day in the life." she commented softly. It had been such a long day, and she knew it was hardly over.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Donna had just stepped out of the TARDIS when the group came in. River and Jack were leading the way, looking grim, and a resolute looking Rose limped behind them. As soon as she found a chair, she flopped down, sighing with relief.  
"What happened?" Donna asked, she walked up to Rose, noticing the large hole in her pant leg. Rose shifted her leg and waved a hand.  
"It's fine, I'm fine." she insisted. River perched herself on a desk and crossed her arms scowling.  
"She got in the way of a 740 blaster, but she won't let us touch her." she said. Jack glared at her and threw his jacket over a chair.  
"Where's the Doc? did you find anything?" he asked. Donna was about to open her mouth when the Doctor himself stepped out. He spotted Rose and nearly sprinted over to her.  
"Rose! What happened!" He crouched to her level, pulling out the screwdriver. River looked away from the pair, trying not to be hurt. He looked ragged, she noticed, something heavy was on his mind. Rose just rolled her eyes.  
"I tripped and got in the way of a blaster." she showed him the hole in her pants, revealing a small burn wound. River looked at Jack frowning. It had been much worse, the laser clearing slicing into her leg. But since Jack had come to help, it had rapidly decreased as if she was healing herself. The Doctor still had the screwdriver out and Rose pushed it away. "I'm fine."  
"What are we going to do with you?" he asked softly, the words nearly choking him. Rose squeezed his hand, sensing his unease.  
"We'll just keep River around to save the day, eh?" she joked, looking up to the woman smiling appreciatively.  
"Hey Doc, how'd the tests go?" Jack interrupted, his eyes on the screens. The Doctor stood up and went to explain things to him. River approached Rose, her eyes narrow.  
"What are you?" she asked suspiciously.  
"Human, I think." Rose stretched her leg out and attempted to relax.  
"Then how did this happen? It had to have been after you left him." River sat beside her, and waited expectantly. Donna sat down as well, eager to hear. Rose's eyes darkened, and she shrugged slightly.  
"I didn't leave him," she stated hardly. "We were closing the void and I lost hold of my clamp. I would have been sucked in if my Dad hadn't caught me in time. I escaped the void but was trapped on a parallel earth, with no hope of getting home." she paused for breath. "So I started working for Torchwood, just in case I could find something to take me back. One day a field mission went wrong, I was hit by a Progothan's dagger. Next thing I knew, I was completely healed and under examination at Torchwood." she replied, looking up at River. River's eyes clouded.  
"Did you feel anything?" she asked. Rose smiled bitterly and nodded.  
"Oh yes. Which is why I was surprised that I was alive, and slightly disappointed." she remarked. Donna watched her with empathy.  
"I'm so sorry." she said. Rose nodded, shifting restlessly. She turned to River.  
"You know, I could ask you the same question, very few people time travel and flit about the TARDIS whenever they choose." she stated. River shrugged.  
"I can't say much, just met him when I was young and impressionable. Incited my appetite for danger you could say..." she paused as she remembered. Maroon aliens, with tentacles for arms, attacked her high school and he had just grinned madly at her and dashed off. They'd saved the world with seconds to spare, if Rose hadn't found the breakers...her thoughts screeched to a halt and she looked up at her. "You were there, but I don't remember that from before." Rose's eyes widened.  
"What?"  
"You weren't there before, when I met the Doctor. I'm sure of it." River stated with more confidence. The two women stared at each other, each realizing what that meant. Rose stretched out her hand and laid it on River's. The memories faded, replacing themselves with the ones she knew so well.  
"What's going on?" Donna asked, watching the two surprised. Rose looked up at her.  
"Nothing, it's fine." she looked up at the Doctor, typing away at a computer. "I think it's time we had a talk."


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Rose went up to the Doctor, her mind whirling. Laying a hand over his, she waited as he slowed his typing to look up at her.  
"We need to talk." she said quietly. He noted the gravity in her eyes and looked past her at River and Donna. He took a deep breath, attempting to quell the fear that rose in him.  
"Yeah, we do." he looked back at Jack. "Can you take over for now?" Jack raised an eyebrow and nodded. He restrained the urge to cheer, their faces looked so grave. The Doctor slipped his hand in hers and led her inside the TARDIS.  
"River," she began, standing in front of him. He had shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the console. At the mention of River's name he looked up sharply at her. "We have to find what's changing her timeline."

"Do we?" he asked coolly, keeping his voice even. She knew he was lying to her, and she tightened her stance.  
"You know, don't you." She stated firmly. He looked away, fixing his gaze on the walls of the TARDIS. "River said," she paused and swallowed, trying to relax the knot that grew in her throat. "River said that when she first met you, I wasn't there, but in her new memories I was." She wiped her sweaty palms on her pant leg. "It's me isn't it? Meeting me is what's rewriting her timeline." He clenched his jaw together and didn't respond.  
"You have to tell her." Her voice became heavy and quiet. "This isn't up to us."  
"It never is, is it?" he asked bitterly, still refusing to look at her.  
"She has a right, we can't just steal her life away." She replied urgently. He finally turned to her, his eyes bright. They softened as he looked at her, his body relaxing slightly.  
"Only you could stand there and be willing to sacrifice everything for others." he said. She smiled sadly.  
"I'm just too good." she said. He smiled back and reached out for her hand again.  
"Yeah, you are." she grabbed it and he stepped closer. "You do know don't you?" she squeezed his hand.  
"Yeah."


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

River watched the two disappear into the TARDIS. Donna sat beside her, watching her carefully. The events of the past few minutes were catching up to her, and she was beginning to understand what was happening.

"What are you going to do?" she asked her quietly.

"When did you find Rose?" River asked in return, never taking her eyes off the TARDIS.

"I told you, about a week ago. We'd stopped to visit my Gramps." Donna said. River looked at her solemnly.

"A week ago is when it started, my memories started changing and Rose began appearing in them. Memories that she had never been in before." she said. "Rose is why my memories are changing Donna." Donna nodded once, glancing up to Jack at the computer. He was watching them looking concerned.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked again. River pressed her lips together.

"Is it cruel that I want to change it?" River noted her disappointed face.

"Depends on who you're asking." Donna replied. "In your timeline, the original one, is he happy?" she turned fully to her friend and asked her earnestly. River raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah..." she replied, thinking about it. "I mean as much as he usually is."

"Is he at peace?" Donna asked seriously. River frowned not knowing how to reply.

"Is he ever, really?" the moment the words left her mouth, she recalled him earlier that day, when he had introduced her to Rose. He had looked so young and carefree. Donna nodded, River's face betraying her thoughts.

"Just promise me, he'll be alright. He has enough to plague him." River swallowed.

"And if I can't?"

"Then think about what you're doing." Donna sat back and turned away from her. "Fixing your timeline will cost them theirs." River's brow furrowed and she looked down at her hands, not knowing what to do. Her happiness would come at the cost of the one she loved.

The Doctor and Rose stepped out of the TARDIS, the two of them pretending to look cheery, for themselves as much as for Jack. Donna looked back at River.

"You will always have something to look back on, but know that you're taking away the only future he ever really wanted." she stood and walked up to the Doctor as he resettled back at the computer. Rose walked to River, a small device in her palm, her face painfully devoid of emotion.

"It's me." she said, sucking a breath. "but we've both figured that out." she handed her the device in her hand. "It's a jumper, for jumping between worlds. That half activates the beam that will shoot me back to the parallel world." Rose's voice was flat. "You'll find the coordinates inside the TARDIS by the screen. It's your timeline River, it's your choice."

River stared at the black device in her hand, the metal shockingly cool against her fingers. Red lights were a sharp contrast to the darkness, and gave the jumper a foreboding look.

"It's sleek." she commented quietly. Rose smiled proudly.

"Mickey designed for me, he was the one who helped discover the technology." she replied. River nodded and looked up at her.

"So you have someone there then?" she asked hesitantly. Rose didn't respond, looking away quickly. River thought she saw tears swelling in her eyes. After a moment she looked back at her, her eyes reddening.

"I won't have known about all of this. I'll think it's just a glitch in the system." She said, her voice becoming raspy. "I won't stop looking for him." River nodded, understanding. Rose looked back at the Doctor, whose back was turned to them. "Don't let me see him," she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Get me out of there before I see him. Please." she pleaded. River nodded again and Rose turned abruptly, leaving her for the scanners. She watched her walk back up and Jack caught her eye. She turned on her heel and walked into the TARDIS, a knot quickly forming in her throat.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"What's going on?" Jack's voice came from the door of the TARDIS. River quickly found the post-it note on the console; the coordinates were scrawled in the Doctor's hurried handwriting.

"It's fine, don't worry." she said lightly, not bothering to look up at him.  
"I don't know what's going on, but I do know that someone is stirring up trouble in this group and it's my job to find the bugger and stop 'em." Jack stated pointedly. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe.  
"You really care about them don't you?" she fingered the note then looked up at him. He grinned.

"They're the closest thing I have to family, literally." he watched her carefully, his body tense in case he needed to run to her.

"My timeline is being rewritten." River said. "I want to fix it." Jack frowned.

"We have bigger problems than stray timelines. The city is being turned into a madhouse!" he replied.  
"I'll be back to help." she looked back down at the note, uncertainty creeping into her mind. Doubts plagued her mind, leaving her unsure of what to do. For the first time that day, she didn't know if this timeline was really what she wanted.  
"If this has to do with Rose, stop a minute. Because you're not the one that has to pay for this, whatever it is." he pointed outside. "Before you go anywhere, go outside and look at them and tell me it won't crush them. That's all I want, tell me it won't hurt them." It was the second time that day, that someone else had stood up for the Doctor and Rose's welfare. It didn't surprise her, that someone else had to fight for his happiness. What surprised her was that, his happiness wasn't something she had considered in all of this. Thought about it, yes, but she'd never really taken it into account.

"What about me?" River asked, leaning a hand on the console. It was more to herself than to Jack. Voicing her thoughts helped to clarify and sort them out. "I've been through that, I feel that pain. Don't I matter in all this?" She looked up at him, not really expecting an answer. New memories floated through her mind, threatening to confiscate her old ones. An image of a man flashed in her mind, one who kept reappearing in her new memories. He looked so achingly familiar, but she still couldn't put her finger on why. He was smiling at her, like no one, not even the Doctor had before. She looked up at Jack, her jaw dropping her confusion mounting.  
"Don't do this." he warned. She looked down and grabbed the note and ran to the door. Briefly she watched the Doctor and Rose, standing at the computer together; both looked weary and defeated. The Doctor clung to her hand, somehow still managing to look relaxed. Rose looked up just then and met her eyes.  
River's thoughts whirled, wondering what she would be giving up by fixing her original timeline. Who was this strange man in her new memories, whose face confused her emotions so completely. She pulled out her vortex manipulator and stared at it for several seconds, unsure. Her hand hovered over the numbers for, hesitating. She could feel Jack's eyes bearing into her, but one last glance at Rose proved she'd looked away. River bit her lip and punched in the coordinates.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Author's Note: You are all truly beautiful readers, I've been smiling all day. I am so glad that you are enjoying this story!

River purposefully set the coordinates ahead of time so she could calm her nerves and straighten her thoughts. She'd ordered a cup of tea from the cafe on the corner of the street, strategically sitting near the back of the patio so she could see the street, but those just glancing by couldn't see her. The jumper sat right next to her steaming mug, waiting for her to decide.

River didn't know what to do. At any minute she would have to make a decision that could drastically change hers, Rose and the Doctor's lives. She picked up the jumper and held it up, watching the lights blink accusingly at her. A myriad of emotions coursed through her, guilt, fear and apprehension threatening to bring her to tears.

Faces swam before her, each silently begging her to make a decision. The face of the Doctor, before Rose had returned, brought her a calming familiarity. But that weariness in his eyes, that she attributed to age before, seemed to pierce her heart; it wasn't age that cause that weariness, she knew that now. Going through with this she would be responsible for every time he had that look in his eyes. Her own face appeared, looking so young and naive, she had been so happy. Didn't she have every right to be as happy as them? Rose was next, her eyes filled with grief and understanding. River frowned, knowing that Rose was giving up her own fight only made her feel guilty and selfish.

River pressed her lips together, fighting her tears. If she gave this up, she would still have a past with them, and a mysterious stranger to look back on. By sending Rose back to the parallel universe, she would have her Doctor, but he would never be truly happy. A giant crack reverberated through the air and she stood hesitantly, guessing what came next. She walked toward the sidewalk and waited as Rose ran around the corner, scanning the street desperately.

River took several more steps , revealing herself to the rest of the street, and bringing her within range of Rose. The jumper in her hand began flashing wildly, picking up on the receiver that was mere feet away. The Doctor's coat caught her eye and she turned to him, seeing him pause at the end of the street. If he saw her he didn't acknowledge her, because he'd seen Rose. His jaw dropped and River watched as the walls she'd seen him keep up so vigilantly, fell away.

The jumper beeped loudly and she looked back up at Rose, realizing too late that Rose had seen him. Tears had sprung into Rose's eyes and her smile nearly split her face in two. River's thumb hovered near the button on the jumper, but she couldn't bring herself to press it. The face of the mysterious man crossed her mind again; an unexpected surge of relief washing through her.

His name sprang to her mind and hot tears ran down her cheeks as she remembered him and who he was. She looked back up at the Doctor, a faint smile on her face.

He was running pell mell down the street toward Rose, his face radiant with hope, that nearly broke her heart. She shoved the jumper back in her pocket and stepped back. Watching them briefly as they collided together, she reset the vortex manipulator, and disappeared.

Zapped back into the TARDIS, she gasped for breath. Jack was gone, and the lights had dimmed. She assumed she'd missed her target by several minutes. She felt a headache brewing in the back of her head, as her new memories took over her mind. Her personality and thoughts began to change fully, as every decision she made was rewritten. She crumpled beside the console, leaned her head back, and waited.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The ticking of the clock seemed to echo painfully throughout the hub, each beat a stark contrast to the deafening quiet. Jack had tried to keep them occupied as much as he could, in an effort to keep their spirits up. But several hours had passed with no new signals appearing on the scanners, and alien riots were dissipating. The sun was finally setting on the long day and Jack made sure Ianto brought food as his team began to head back. Rose had curled herself in his chair, overlooking the rest of the hub, while the Doctor paced anxiously near the door. They were acutely aware of each others presence, not willingly to let one get out of sight, but preparing themselves for the inevitable.

Donna dozed in front of the computers, the stress of the day beginning to take hold of her. Through her drooping eyelids she could see the doorway to the TARDIS clearly, her eyes shooting open as River stepped through them. Her eyes were still slightly swollen crying, but she had a peaceful smile on her face. She looked up at Donna, her smile widening. Her headache had disappeared as the new memories settled into her head. Everything was clear to her now, she didn't have to sort through years and years of memories that mismatched with two timelines. A whisp of the old remained, but only enough for her to know that she'd made the choice.

The Doctor stopped pacing, finally catching a glimpse of River out of the corner of his eye. He walked up hesitantly, taking note of the remnants of distress on her face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, keeping his voice even. He refused to look at Rose, he wouldn't be able to take it again. River picked up on his tension and laughed lightly. She felt as if she could walk on air; she was completely happy and she was about to share it with one the people she cared about most. She dropped the jumper in his hand and winked at him.

"Don't let me regret it." she eyed him knowingly. His jaw dropped and he stared wordlessly at the jumper, disbelief and a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. He looked back up at her and she nodded to him. That ridiculous grin of his finally cracked open and he kissed her forehead.

"Thank you." he whispered. "I don't think words can express what this means, for either of us." she grinned at him.

"Thank you for letting me choose." she pushed him around to face Rose. She'd stood from her chair, watching them warily. The Doctor beamed at her, tossing the jumper to Donna. He ran up the stairs and met her as she came down, seizing her around the waist and spinning her around.

"Everythings fine, really truly fine!" he exclaimed, laughing as he put her down. Rose looked at River, tears springing into her eyes and River just smirked back at her. Rose tightened her grip on the Doctor, a giggle escaping her lips.

"How long are you going to stay with me?" he asked resting his cheek on her hair.

"Forever."

_Fin __Part __One_

**Author****'****s ****Note****: ****Don****'****t ****worry****, ****it****'****s ****not ****over****! ****Many ****questions ****have ****yet ****to ****be ****answered****, **_**which **_**I ****decided ****to ****put ****into ****a ****sequel ****of ****sorts****, ****so ****that ****this ****story ****doesn****'****t ****become ****encumbered ****with ****an ****overwhelming ****amount ****of ****chapters****! ****THANK ****YOU ****FOR ****READING****!**


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